Uzumaki Yuka guided the Split Hound forward, following Yagami's lead.
Once they had put enough distance between themselves and the others—far enough that even the Byakugan couldn't reach them—Yagami created a shadow clone. The clone and the Split Hound began to fight noisily, producing loud clashes and roars for anyone tracking their movements to hear.
The Split Hound cooperated perfectly. It barked and lunged dramatically but didn't harm the clone.
Meanwhile, Yagami and Uzumaki Yuka hid quietly in a patch of dense forest nearby.
...
"Yuka, what happened?" Yagami asked sharply.
Yuka's voice trembled with urgency. "Yagami! Three ninja from the Hidden Leaf have kidnapped Nagato and his parents!"
Yagami's pupils contracted. "Kidnapped? What do you mean—wait, who did you say? Nagato? Nagato who?"
"Uzumaki Nagato," Yuka said quickly, "the boy from our group."
Yagami froze for a moment.
According to the original timeline, by this point Nagato should already possess the Rinnegan. Before meeting Jiraiya—before the Hidden Rain and Hidden Leaf war had even ended—Nagato had awakened that eye.
The Rinnegan had been transplanted into Nagato by Uchiha Madara himself, long before, as part of his plan for resurrection.
Nagato's talent was extraordinary. Born with the Uzumaki physique and the blood of the Sage's descendants, he alone could barely withstand the strain of the Rinnegan.
To Madara, Nagato was irreplaceable.
Those three Leaf shinobi—if they had abducted Nagato's family—it could only mean one thing, they were under Madara's genjutsu.
Was Uchiha Madara himself nearby?
The more Yagami thought about it, the more certain he became.
His heart tightened. His three squads were still out there, pursuing the three Leaf ninja. If Madara was indeed involved…
"Yuka," Yagami said quickly, "go back. You're too weak to get involved in what's coming. This is far more dangerous than you think."
He looked her dead in the eyes. "Leave Nagato to me. I'll make sure he lives—at the very least."
Nagato's parents, Yagami couldn't guarantee. But Nagato himself—Madara would never allow his vessel to die.
Yuka bit her lip but nodded. Yagami clearly knew much more than she did.
"Alright, Yagami. I'll go."
She stepped forward and hugged him tightly, her generous frame trembling. Yagami patted her back gently before pulling away and heading toward the rain-soaked mountains.
He exhaled softly. My three squads… Madara, don't kill them all. Leave me at least a few to bring home.
....
When Yagami finally caught up, his squads were gathered at the foot of a small hillside.
He felt immediate relief—everyone was still alive.
"Captain!" Purple Cat called out. "You drove off that summoning beast?"
Yagami nodded. "Yeah." His gaze sharpened. "What about the three Leaf ninja? Are they still under the genjutsu?"
White Ram answered, "Yes, Captain. They're still completely entranced. No matter what we say, they ignore us. Every time we try to get close to dispel the illusion, they suddenly speed up—we can't catch them."
Yagami frowned. "Keep your distance. Something's off. If they turn hostile, I don't want casualties. Maintain formation and stay alert."
Everyone nodded nervously.
Lately, too many comrades had died by their own hands. Paranoia hung over them like mist.
The three Leaf ninja had stopped on a slope, carrying three figures—two adults and one child. They were standing beside a massive boulder.
Then, before anyone could react, the boulder exploded outward.
Dust and rubble flew. A dark cave entrance yawned open within the mountain.
From that darkness, a figure slowly stepped out.
White hair streaked with grey. Wrinkled skin hanging loosely on his bones. A scythe clutched in one hand. But what froze every single person in place were those eyes—
The Rinnegan.
A suffocating silence fell.
Then, before anyone could even raise a hand—
Genjutsu: Binding Golden Chains!
An invisible force wrapped around every body. Muscles seized. No one could move. Even breathing felt like pushing against stone.
Yagami strained, sweat dripping down his temples. No matter how much chakra he poured into resisting, he couldn't move an inch.
Uchiha Madara.
The old body was frail, the figure hunched and thin—but the power… even the smallest genjutsu from him crushed an entire ANBU unit effortlessly.
Great. A level 25 rookie just ran into a level 99 final boss.
Madara raised one withered hand, fingers forming a familiar seal beneath his chin.
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
A torrent of fire swept across the hillside like a living sea, devouring everything—trees, earth, and every last ANBU.
In an instant, the world became nothing but crimson heat and ash.
Yagami's last thought before death was bitter amusement.
'Didn't even survive the full moon night this time…'
...
[Death detected. Arc of Moon System activating…]
Darkness. Then a searing heat in his eyes. When Yagami blinked again, the world was bathed in a faint red hue—like he was still trapped inside those flames.
He was alive.
He had returned… to roughly half an hour before his death.
He hadn't even survived one night after the full moon. This was the fastest he'd died since arriving in this world.
This world of the strong was cruel.
One simple investigation mission—just walking in the rain, seeing an old lover—and suddenly a legendary powerhouse appeared and burned him alive like a bug.
...
[Arc of Moon System activated.
The host is granted one resurrection per lunar cycle, reviving at the previous full moon.
Reward: One random draw.
1 — Fire-style Chakra
2 — Genjutsu: Binding Golden Chains
3 — Uchiha Bloodline Limit (Upper-mid grade)]
---
Yagami stared at the options.
Fire-style chakra? What are you doing here? That's useless!
A total waste of a slot. Maybe next time he'd pick the trash rewards first, just to clear them out of the pool.
The second option Genjutsu was tempting. It could fill his weakness in illusion techniques, but without the Sharingan, its effect would be limited.
The third option, though… the Uchiha Bloodline Limit. And not just any—upper-mid grade.
Madara's bloodline was undoubtedly top-tier. His body, however, couldn't withstand that yet. The system likely adjusted it downward for survival.
There was no contest.
Yagami selected the third option.
A stabbing pain exploded at the base of his skull. His scalp felt like it was splitting open, blood vessels bulging and pulsing under the skin. His eyes and nerves burned like molten metal.
Then, slowly, the pain faded—replaced by a strange, electric awareness spreading through his vision.
He could feel it… the dormant power sleeping in his blood.
The Uchiha bloodline.
He hadn't awakened his eyes yet, but one day, under the right stimulus, they would open.
And now, somehow, he possessed the three great bloodlines of the Hidden Leaf: the Senju, the Uzumaki, and the Uchiha.
...
He quickly pulled up his status panel.
Host Status
Chakra Level: 3.8× Special Jōnin Level
Chakra Attributes: Earth, Water, Yin, Yang
Bloodlines:
– Senju of the Forest (Upper-mid)
– Uzumaki Bloodline (Upper-mid)
– Uchiha Bloodline (Upper-mid)
Three major changes stood out.
After gaining the Uzumaki bloodline, his chakra had risen to 2.5× that of a Special Jōnin.
In less than a month, it had naturally grown to 2.8×.
Now, with the Uchiha bloodline added, it jumped to 3.8×.
The Uchiha bloodline strengthened his spiritual energy. Since chakra was born from both physical and spiritual power, his total reserves surged.
With these three bloodlines reinforcing one another, his chakra would continue to grow rapidly—his body shedding its ordinary limits and evolving into something new.
His chakra attributes now included Yin release—the essence for illusion and spiritual-type ninjutsu.
And though his Sharingan had yet to awaken, it was only a matter of time.
Maybe picking a fight with a few Uchiha would speed things up… he smiled faintly at the thought.
...
***
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